Inside the egg
Cells in the fertilised egg divide, and the body begins to take shape. Yolk feeds the embryo. Temperature affects how fast it develops, and it needs enough oxygen and the right level of salt in the water to survive.
The first meal
As the yolk sac empties, the larva must find small enough prey, such as early planktonic crustaceans. If these prey become abundant too late in the season, larvae may run short of food.
Finding shelter in an unfamiliar habitat
Settlement is the move into the place where a young fish will live. In the picture, look for a spot where it could hide. A young flatfish also goes through metamorphosis. One eye moves across its head as the fish starts to live on its side.
